About Me

I have been working in the courthouse since 1989 searching real estate titles and dabbling in genealogy. In the past years I have assisted my husband in making a movie and working on other movie projects.

Monday, February 28, 2011

I am very lucky that I have family members that still live around the Pittsylvania County area and I still get back occasionally.

I knew by family information and also by the census records that Rose Dove and Albert Lee Dalton were married around 1894/1895. In the 1910 census, they state that they have been married for fifteen years.
Your best bet is to go to the courthouse yourself or get a family member to drop by. I had a family member go to the courthouse and they looked it up for me and found that Rose Dove and Albert Lee Dalton were married on October 9, 1894.
Information on Marriage License
County Married: Pittsylvania County
Names: A. L. Dalton and Rosa L. Dove
Time of Marriage October 9, 1894
Place of Husband's birth: Pittsylvania County
Place of Wife's birth: Pittsylvania County
Age of Husband: 27
Age of Wife: 21
Both were single
Husband's Parents: J. T and Lucy W. Dalton
Wife's Parents: G. W. and C. W. Dove
Occupation of husband: Farmer
Minister: A. L Carson

Wow, this is a treasure trove.
Below, I have the pictures of the grave markers. This is a another handy tool for information that can be used as verifiable proof and sometimes without family members knowledge there is no way you would be able to locate these gravesites. The Dalton Cemetery is located way off the beaten track in the middle of Westvaco timber lands.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Now I am going to take a step further back. What if you were on a budget and couldn't afford ancestry.com.
This may concern where you are located. If you are searching for records of family members in Pittsylvania County, Virginia and you are in let's say Missouri, there may be some stumbling blocks in your way.
Below is a link to the Pittsylvania County website. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~vapittsy/
I would search through the entire site and it may give you some hints even if they don't specifically address your family.
Next I would try genealogy.com forums. They have genealogists searching for information about family members of all names.
Then I would try findagrave.com. If you know the name and the location, then you may find their grave marker.
Then there are books at the library that could possibly give you some hints and information as to where documents are recorded.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Okay, I am going to back it up a little bit. We are still at home looking at the census records at Ancestry.com. Let's get all the information off this resource before we go stumbling around the courthouse.

I did not find an marriage license for Rose Dove and Albert Lee Dalton, but it could be there, but spelled incorrectly.

I found an 1870 census Subdivision North of Dan River Census Taken August 30, 1870
Jarret Dalton Husband Farmer 27
Lucy Dalton Wife 22
Albert L. son two years old
Lelia D. 3 1/2 years old
And a Nurse by the name of Sarah Stone living in the house. Her age was 12.

Well this is paydirt. This has to be Albert L and his family. So this is good.
*************************************************************
I found a 1880 census taken on June 5, 1880 Pigg River District
Jarrett T. Dalton 36
Lucy W. - 31
Albert L - 12
Lelia T -10
Queen E- 8
David M. - 6
Asalem T - 4
William M - 1

Found that Albert Lee was attending school and they were living near the Bobitts.
*************************************************************************
I couldn't find them in the 1890 census. According to censusfinder.com the Federal Census for Virginia was burned in a Warehouse fire.
*************************************************************
Twenty years have now transpired and in the1900 Census, I now find Albert at the age of 33 in the Pigg River Magisterial District, Pittsylvania County. He is married to Rosie L. age 26 and they have three children - Charley M., 4; Cornelia V. 3; and Ocie B. 6 months old. He gives his date of birth as January, 1867.

In the 1910 Census, Albert L. Dalton is still living in the Pigg River Magisterial District, with his wife Rosie L.
Their children are:
Charlie M. 14; Cornelia V. 12; Ocie B. 10; Fannie W. 8; Evie G. 7; Susan A. 5, Irie L. 3 and Lester T. 1 7/12 months
This census asked how long they were married. They state 15 years.
They also ask how many children have they had and how many survived. They have eight children and eight children are still living.
Rosie and Albert both can read and write.
Eliza Walker is living with them as a servant. She previously was living with Rose Dove's family as a servant and nurse.
**************************************************************
In the 1920 census, Albert L. is now 52 and his wife is Lucy E. age 29.
His children are Ocie B. 20; Fannie W. 18; Evie G. 17;, Susan 15; Irie L. 13; Lester T. 11; ; Eldredge M. 9; Ethel M. 7; Alice G. 4; Martha W. 2.

**************************************************************
In the 1930 census, the census has him listed as A. Lee Dalton age 62. He is still married to Lucy E. and they have the following children:
Alice G; Martha L; Swanee W; Virginia A; and Floyd G.
Listed right below A. Lee Dalton and Lucy in the next residence is Ira Lee Dalton and Velma Dalton, husband and wife. And we know that Ira Lee is A. Lee's son from the previous census and Ira's birth certificate.
And in the next residence is listed Lelia Dove, who was the step-mother of Rose Dove Dalton, the first wife of Albert Lee Dalton. Lelia Dove is listed living with Morgan Brumfield. She says that she is his mother-in-law.

So we have spanned a total of sixty years for Albert Lee Dalton. By his tombstone, you will see that he died in 1942. As of yet, I do not see anything for Virginia in the 1940 census in Ancestry.com.

I have now obtained a vast amount of information:
Albert Lee Dalton: Born 1867/68 However, I know that he was born 1868 by his tombstone.
He was the son of Jarret/Jarrett T. Dalton of Pittsylvania County, Virginia
and Lucy Dalton.
He had at least five brothers and sisters and in his youth he had nurse by the name of Sarah Stone living in their house.
He also attended school and they lived near the Bobbitts. That may be important later on.
By the 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930 census I found that:
He married Rosie L and there is no mention of her maiden name in the census records. They are living in the Pigg River District.
Rosie and Albert have eight children.
In 1910 census they have a servant by the name of Eliza Walker living with them. I have already worked on the Ward family genealogy. Rose Dove was the daughter of Cornelia Ward and George Dove. Elliza Walker had been living with the Dove family previously as a nurse.

By the 1920 census, he is no longer married to Rosie L. and he is married to Lucy E. Two of Albert's children have already left home( Charlie and Cornelia). A. Lee Dalton has three more children by Lucy E. and by 1930, he has four more children and all the children from his previous marriage has left the homeplace. We see Ira living beside them with his wife, Velma Brumfield.

All of these census records can be used as proof, but it would be nice to have a little bit more.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

The above pictures are of my great grandparents Albert Lee Dalton and Rose Lee Dove Dalton

As you may know if you have read my recent posts, I am working on Albert Lee Dalton. Yesterday, we completed finding all the information for me, my parents and my grandparents. Now starts the hard work.

First, I know that Albert Dalton and Rose Dove Dalton are both from Pittsylvania County. How do I know this? First, by what my family has told me and mainly by my grandfather's birth certificate. Under the information Father of the Child, you will find the following: Father's name, color, age and birthplace. So this is a great start because my grandfather was born in 1906. My great grandfather was 39. That would put his birth date at around 1867,68. And it says that his birthplace was Pittsylvania County, Virginia.

Now we have some facts from the birth certificate:
1. His name is Albert Lee Dalton
2. Birthplace and home: Pittsylvania County, Virginia
3. Wife: Rose Lee Dove
4. Born at or around 1867/68

I know that my grandfather was not the only child and not the oldest. There is this amazing tool on the internet called Ancestry.com. If you have that available to you, go to the family trees. Many times someone is already working on that line and you will find valuable information. Now I am not saying that it is all factual or the right information, but it will give you some hints and sometimes the real facts. Now let's say that no one has been working on your family. Bummer. Let's go to the Census records.

Another pitfall in the census records is spelling. Many times the person transcribing the information has the wrong spelling. For instance, in the 1910 census they have Albert ? Dalton Albert N Dalton married to Besie L. Dalton, with children Charly M., Carmelia V., Oris B. Now this is when information from your family becomes important. I know that granddaddy had a brother named Charly, a sister named Cornelia V. and another sister named Ocie Bell. I looked at the original document and they had just transcribed the name wrong. It should have been Rosie L. I admit the name was hard to read. So the oldest child Charley was 4 in 1900. Now, if I didn't have any other resource, my best bet is the Pittsylvania County Circuit Court Clerk's Office. The Courthouse and records are located in Chatham, Virginia.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Yesterday I posted information on the blog about the Dalton Family. But I realize that using this information will not get you into the Daughters of the Confederacy, Daughters of American Revolution or anything without some kind of proof to back it up.

Generation #1
So let's start from the beginning. First of all, you will need your birth certificate and if you are married, your marriage license. If married, you will need your husband/wife's birth certificate also. That should be easy to obtain. If you can't find them around the house, then you can always order them from your State's Bureau of Vital Statistics. Most places charge around $15.00 a document or less to send them to you. Of course, if you are in a hurry for these, it will be more. If you were married in Virginia and you know the County in which your license was recorded, you can send a request for your marriage license from there. I found that the county clerk's office is much faster than the State's Bureau of Vital Statistics and much cheaper.

Okay, now we have the proof for who we are. Since I am working on the Dalton aspect, I will use them as my examples. I am working on the family of Albert L. Dalton. Albert L. Dalton was my great grandfather. So I have much information to gather before I even get to him.

Generation #2
Now Albert L. Dalton was on my mother's side of the family, but I still have to have my mother and my father's birth certificate and their marriage license. And if one of them has passed away, I have to have their death certificate. As before, these documents should be easy to find. They are within the 20th century and most of these will be at the Bureau of Vital Statistics or at the County Clerk's Office.
So I've called my mother and told her what I am doing. Just give your parents a few days and they will probably be able to rustle that information up for you. If not, talk to them and find out what county in which they were married and you can order the marriage license from there or the Bureau of Vital Statistics.
I have collected my parent's birth certificate and their marriage license. The birth certificate shows where they were born, date they were born, who their parents were. The marriage license will show their ages, their parents, where they were married and sometimes their occupation and who married them,

The Next phase is the discussions about the family with your parents or family members. If your grandparents are still living, then you are very lucky. Remember as I said before, take a camera with you.

Generation #3
You've collected all your information and your parent's information. You have discussed the family with your family and now it is time to move on to your grandparents. If your grandparents are still living, they will already be informed about what is going on. Talk to them not only about their vital information, but about what they did as young people. What they were doing when WWII began. That sort of thing. This information is so precious and always more important.
My grandparents have passed away, but I know that they were married in Campbell County, Virginia. If I have specific information i.e. date of marriage and correctly spelled names, I can write the Clerk of the Campbell County Circuit Court Clerk's Office with the request for a copy. There is a charge, of course, and you must send with the request a self addressed stamped envelope. We could not find some of the birth certificates or death certificates so I ordered those from the Bureau of Vital Statistics for $12.50 a document. There is a form on the Bureau's Site which you can fill out and send to them.
The Marriage License which was issued on August 31, 1929 told me the following:
That my grandfather was the son of Albert L. Dalton and Rosa L. Dove and that he was born in Pittsylvania County. He was 23 and that he did public work. That he married Velma O. Brumfield. The minister was Cecil L. Boggs and they were married in Campbell County. The Birth Certificate and death certificate verified this information.

So now I have verified information that I am the granddaugher of Ira L. Dalton and Velma B. Dalton.

If you wanted to take it a little further, then log on to Ancestry.com. They have Census Records. I logged on and looked up the 1930 census. There I found my grandmother and grandfather living in the Pigg River Magisterial District in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. The census was taken before my mother's birth so there is just the two of them. They list his occupation as farmer and there is a little link on the top that you click and it will show an approximate location of Pigg River District. So another proof of the marriage, where they lived and what they did.

Generation #4.
So now I am at my Great Grandfather. This will be more difficult. Stay tuned tomorrow for more exciting facts.

Friday, February 18, 2011

I have had a little stumbling block with the Walden Family. I know that John is Richard's father and they came from Caroline County. It looks like they migrated to Bedford County and bought land in Pittsylvania County.
I have also discovered that the DAR does not like to use proof from books unless they have references as to how they found the information which I certainly understand. So if you are looking to join DAR, Colonial Dames, Daughters of Confederacy, there will have to be more detailed information.

Another tip:

The state of Virginia has Cities that stand alone. As in the City of Lynchburg. If you live in the City of Lynchburg, you do not pay County taxes. Also, the City has it's own Clerk's office and court system. So if you are looking for information and someone was living in Lynchburg, that information would be in Lynchburg. Not in Campbell County or Bedford County. Also, if you are a resident of Lynchburg, that would be in the Lynchburg system. But, if you lived in let's say Gretna, Virginia. You may pay town taxes, but you are still considered a part of Pittsylvania County and your records would be recorded in the Pittsylvania County Circuit Court Clerk's Office. It's confusing. Anyone that may have a question about where records are filed in this area, please feel free to contact this blog and I will try to answer.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Yesterday I posted an abstract recorded in Pittsylvania County Richard Walden and today I will be posting a will abstracted in the book Campbell County, Virginia Wills and Inventories 1782 - 1847. by William Lindsay Hopkins.
Will Book 7 page 349
Charles Walden, Sr. of Pittsylvania Co. dated September 26, 1829 probated July 13, 1835
Wife Elizabeth Walden land I live on for her lifetime on Jasper Creek and Staunton River and bounded by Thomas Adams, Henry Ward, Austin, James Smith, Tinkers Mountain and Harry Hatchers Branch. Joel L. Adams Sr. and Richard T. Walden in trust for the use of my daughter, Martha Adams and her children. Land in Campbell County and Bedford County on Staunton River bounded by Polly Snow (formerly Vincent Snow), Sophia Dolyns, Hackworth, John Ward and Leftwich in trust for the use of my daughter, Tabitha H. Ward and her children. Daughter Polly Walden. Son Richard T. Walden. Grandchildren viz James John Ravenir (?) of Louisa County and Sarah Anderson and Mildred Anderson when they marry. Reverend Joel T. Adams. Land in Pittsylvania County on Whitehorn Creek called Marlows Place being 268 or 278 acres and bounded by John Parson, Samuel Yeattes and others. My three sons in law viz John L. Adams, John Ward and Richard T. Walden. Wit: Thomas T. Adams, John M. Tonney, John Snow and James T. White. Codicil dated March 8, 1830. Money due me from John Anderson of Campbell County, Charles T. Ward and John L. Foster. Wit: Thomas T. Adams and Jehu Snow.

They obviously had a hard time reading this will and some of this abstract seems to be missing a great deal of information. It would probably be best to call Campbell County and get the price of copying the will and have it sent here. I found another description of the will in Campbell Chronicles and Family Sketches by R. H. Early. The names were the same, but the description was not the same at all.
I called Campbell County Circuit Court. Their number is 434-332-9517. The deputy clerk said that it was fifty cents a page for a copies which I find pretty steep. It was twenty five cents in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. I gave her the Will book and page number and she said that she would check for the number of pages for me. They found this information for me. Their address is Clerk, Circuit Court Post Office Box 7, Rustburg, Virginia. When sending a request for a copy, you must also send a stamped self-addressed envelope.

A little information about Deed Rooms in Piedmont, Virginia.
In Piedmont, Virginia all the deed rooms are located in the Circuit Court Clerk's Office. In many States there is a separate area for the Deed Room. Not so here. If you are searching for a copy of a deed,. marriage license, probate records, they are held in the Circuit Court Clerk's Office Record Room. In most Virginia Court Clerk's Offices' you will also find the copies of chancery suits and the index.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

I have been researching the Walden Family that married into the Ward family of Pittsylvania County. As you know, there was John Ward, his son William Ward and William had a son John. This John married Tabitha Walden. Today at the Tennesse Archives I found an abstract of the will belonging to Richard Walden.
at Abstracts of Pittsylvania County, Virginia Wills, 1767-1820 Compiled by Lela C. Adams, Virginia Bassett
page 75

Page 185-186
February 10, 1790
Probate: July 19, 1790

Last Will and Testament for Richard Walden
To my well beloved wife Candace, the house and plantation where I now live during her widowhood and negros; Cupit, Lucy and Hannah, beds and furntiure. Also cattle.
To my son Charles Walden, the land where I now live and negro: Cupit; a desk, bed and furniture and mare.
To my son John, the lower tract of land where he formerly lived and negro Robin.
My cross cut saw and carpenters tools to sons Richard and Charles.
To my daughter Lucy Hudson, negros Judah and Jenny.
To my duaghter Mary Whitworth, negro Winney and a bed and furniture.
To my daughter Milley, negro Dinah and her daughter Dinah, a bed and furniture, chest, table, chairs and a trunk.
To my daughter Mourning Walden, a negro Betty and her daughter Sarah, a bed and furniture, chest, chairs, table and a trunk.
To my daughter Fanny Bobitt, a negro Hannah, a bed and furniture, and at her mothers death, her equal part.
My son Richard's negro to be given up at years end after my death, Also John Walden, Lucy Hudson and Mary Whitworth's.
Should either of my daughters Milley or Mourning die without issue, the negro Betty to return to my son Richard, and her daughter Sarah to go to Candice Barber.
If my daughter Milley die without issue, negro Dinah to go to Lucy Hudson and negro Dinah, jr, to my grand daughter Milley Whitworth.
To my daughters Milley and Mourning, 6 head of cattle each.
To my daughter Elizabeth Ballard, a cow and a calf.
To my wife, Candace, my wagon, horses and gears and at her decease the horses to be divided between my three sons: John, Richard and Charles.
Appoint my sons Richard and Charles Walden, executors

This is only an abstract of the will, but it seems that he did not have a huge estate, but he could have sold property before he died.
By this will we know the following:
His Wife's name is Candace.
His three sons are John, Richard and Charles.
Charles received his plantation in Pittsylvania and John received some land. I don't know yet, but it is probable that Richard may have received property from his father earlier. When naming their children the first born son was usually named after the grandfather, then the second was named after the father.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Below is the Oath of Allegiance taken by patriots at the beginning of the Revolutionary War.

I do Swear or Affirm that I do renounce and refuse all allegiance to George the Third, King of Great Britain, his Heirs and Successors, and that I will be Faithful and bear true allegiance to the Commonwealth of Virginia, as a Free and Independent State and that I will not at any time, do, or Cause to be done, any matter or thing that will be prejudicial or Injurious to the Freedom and Independence thereof, as declared by Congress, and also, that I will discover and make known to some one Justice of the Peace for said State, all Treasons or Traitorous Conspiracies which I know or shall hereafter know to be formed against this or any of the United States of America, so help me God.

I found a list of patriots signing the Oath of Allegiance in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. This is truly an act of bravery. Not only were they willing to fight and give supplies, but they were willing to sign their name renouncing King George III and Great Britain. This was not just a signature, this could easily have been a death warrant, if we lost the war.

Take for example the Battle of Culloden on April 16, 1745 between the Highland Army of Prince Charles and the Royal Troops of George II. The Highland Army lost the battle. The day after the battle the Royal Troops were sent back to the field of battle and they were instructed to kill everyone that was still living. Anyone that was lucky enough to escape the battle were hunted down and either taken as prisoners and traitors to the crown or killed on the spot. Lord Cumberland who was the Commander of the troops rode into Inverness with his bloody sword held high. Many fleeing Highlanders found refuge in a barn on the Old Leanach Farm. The Royal Troops surrounded the barn and set it on fire. Some wounded soldiers found their way out of the battlefield and were promised medical attention if they surrendered. After the surrender they were executed. These kind of atrocities continued for months.
3,470 Jacobites (Highlanders) were taken prisoner. 120 were executed, 88 died in prison, 936 were sent to the colonies, 222 banished and 700 prisoners disappeared off the face of the earth. No one knows what happened to them.

This was thirty years before the Revolutionary War. This had to be common knowledge among many of the colonists. They also would be considered traitors to the crown and with possibly the same retribution in the future, if they lost.

I found Charles Walden's name on the Oath list and William Ward's name. That could easily be a rope around their neck and their families.

The flag above is the Flag of Virginia which was adopted in 1776. The motto is Sic Semper Tyrannis. Latin for Thus Always To Tyrants. The Flag has two figures. The One standing is a Woman representing Virginia and Virtue. She is standing over the man who is holding a scourge and chain and his crown has fallen off of his head.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

For several weeks now I have been posting gravemarkers on the Thursday edition. However, due to inclement weather, I have not been able to get out and take pictures. We have had seven snow storms here in Nashville, Tn and they haven't been terrible like some of the states, but they still make traveling inconvenient.

The map of Virginia shows the location of Caroline County, Virginia

Walden Family Information
According to my blog dated February 8, 2011, I found in Campbell Chronicles and Family Sketches that the Waldens traced their roots to Leyton, Essex County, Virginia, but in 1715 moved to Caroline County, where they built a house called Walden Towers which was about nine miles from Bowling Green, Virginia. I began my search with Essex County and as I yet I have found nothing referring to Richard Walden.
My search led me to Carolina County and the book Elisha Wallen The Longhunter by Carolyn D. Wallin. I found only a few references to Richard Walden, however, the book is packed with information and may help find facts for how long the Walden family has been in the country. Plus, she has provided a smorgasborg of reference material for later reading.

Plus, the searcher will have to be aware of the spelling of Walden which apparently has taken many forms- Walling, Wallin, Waldron, Waldren.

I searched on the internet for further information and found this small excerpt from the book, Makers ofAmerica by Prominent Historical and Biographical Writers.
page 342

The family of Walden in England is one of the oldest and most prominent in the United Kingdom, and is descended from ancestors who were conspicuous in the early Italian wars and men who fought with the Black Prince at Cressy. Bishop Walden, one of the best known divines of the established church, was a nephew of the last Lord Walden.The last lord holding the title was John. His eldest son, also John, came to America in the latter part of the last century, and settled at a beautiful seat known as Walden Towers, eight miles from Bowling Green, in Caroline County, Virginia. This John Walden was one of the most prominent men in the Revolutionary period, and was intimate with all the great spirits of the day. When his father in the old country died he took no steps to claim the title or property saying that nothing could induce him to cross the ocean again. He was the father of ten children, four boys and six girls.The boys wereJohn, William, Thomas, Ambrose, and the girls Elizabeth, Sally, Lucy, Polly, Nancy and Rachel. John Walden of Virginia, was one of the largest landholders of early days, and held vast tracts of ground in the Old Dominion, as well as in Kentucky.The will of the last Lord Walden is now on file in England and it left a vast estate to his two sons. The younger son got his portion, no doubt, but that of John Walden, of Virginia, has never been claimed.The property was left in the care of trustees, so has not been outlawed by want of claimants or confiscated by the crown.

I have read in other books where the family tried to regain this title, but that it had reverted to the crown.